Mute
by anotherOUATwriter
Summary: AU. After his ex-wife's, Kathryn, death, David Nolan regains full costudy of his 6 year old daughter, Emma. But he doesn't know the first thing about parenting and Emma is not making it easier for him. The only logical thing to do is to bring her back to Storybrooke, his home town.
1. Chapter 1

So, let's see how this story turns out.  
Let me know your thoughts!

Hugs,

M.

* * *

"Emma," he yelled from the bottom floor. "The guys that will help with the moving are here! please come down!"

A mane of blonde curls started walking down the stairs, when she reached the ground, David took her in his arms. "Hi, baby!" The girl didn't reply. She just sucked her thumb.

Emma hadn't say a word since her mother passed away, three months ago. Even though the doctors had said it was normal for a kid experiencing trauma, he couldn't help but to worry.

"You'll like storybrooke," the father told the little girl. "They have a public library! I know you like reading."

It was one of the only things that David knew about his daughter. It was not like he didn't love her or he didn't care. But after their divorce, Kathryn had gained full custody over Emma and she had disappeared, for five years his daughter and ex wife were nowhere to be found. Until Boston's child services called telling him the news. Kathryn had had a car accident and didn't make it, Emma had miraculously survived with nothing but few scratches.

"Mommy and daddy grew up there," he told his daughter, I would not give up on her talking again. "And granny and daddy will be happy to have you around."

The baby listen to her dad carefully, as if he was giving her some important advise.

When all their belongings were in the truck they departed, destination: Storybrooke, Maine.

David and Kathryn had left their hometown soon after they got married. They both got accepted in Yale, David for business management and Kathryn for Law, and after they finished college they decided to stay. Then Emma came along and they wanted a _better_ life for her. After they got divorced David couldn't gather the courage to go back.

It had been more than 10 years since the last time he was in his birth town, his parents were thrilled to have them back. He couldn't lie to himself, he was pretty excited too.

Storybrooke might not have all the luxuries that New York had, but it was good enough. His family and childhood friends were there and it was a nice and safe environment for a motherless kid to grow up.

The arrived after lunch time, but David's mother still had food on the table for them. After the truck guys had placed all the boxes on the living room and left, David and Emma sat to eat in the company of his parents.

"Do you like cookies, Emma?" His mother asked. Emma shook her little head. "Still not talking, huh?" She asked David.

"Yeah," he said putting more food on this dish. "Doctor said it might take a while."

"It's been nearly 6 months, David." His father, always supportive and comprehensive, said.

It had been nearly 6, _tough,_ months, he wanted to add. First he had tried to work it out in Boston, but Emma didn't feel comfortable there; so they moved to New York, were David had lived since he finished college. But Emma wasn't doing great in New York either.

"I know," his mother said. "Do you want to go to the library, sweetie?"

Emma nodded smiling, it was the first time in months that she smiled. That smile was worthy; quitting his job, moving, having to live with his father. He'd do anything to see Emma smile.

"Grab your jacket, then!" Emma stood up and ran towards the closet where her jacket was hanged.

"I'll go with you," David commented. He was not ready to be alone with his father.

They had parted in bad terms and the younger man was not ready to make some amendments, nor he was ready to forgive.

The weather was cold and it hit David almost to the bones. It had also been raining so the thermal sensation was very low. He almost imagined himself as an eskimo, walking through snow paths on the North Pole.

Storybrooke had not changed a bit since he last visited. Everything was in the same place: the Mayor's and Archie's and the sheriff's offices, granny's. The only thing that had changed was that the library was open now.

"Two city girls moved to storybrooke last year," David's mother started explaining. "One is teacher at the primary school and the other one is the librarian."

"Aha,"

"I've heard the teacher is single,"

"Mother!" David exclaimed.

"What? She's a very sweet girl."

"Please, don't start," her son begged.

He opened the library's door and let his daughter and mother enter before him.

"Belle," his mother greeted the lady behind the desk, the librarian for sure. "This is my son, David, and my granddaughter, Emma."

"Nice to meet you," she smiled at them both. "Are you looking for something in particular?" Belle asked Emma, who hid behind her father's leg.

"She likes princesses and pirates," David said.

"Children literature is on the 3rd corridor," the librarian pointed out. "We just got new books, the town's teacher is there, you could ask her which is the best one."

"You go, darling," his mother said. "I believe Miss French and I have an unfinished discussion about Anna Karenina."

David thanked the librarian and told his mother he'd be back soon. Emma was not an indecisive girl who spent one hour figuring out which book she wanted. His daughter grabbed his hand as they walked towards the children section.

There was a lady piling the books, she had short hair and really white skin, he guessed she was the teacher. Emma ran towards the bookshelf and started staring at the books, trying to pick one.

"Ow, hi!" The black haired lady told Emma. "How are you?"

Emma stared at the woman who was talking to her for a while and then returned to the books. The woman kept on looking her, with a confused expression on her face. She looked cute when she was confused.

"You'll have to forgive her," David spoke. The woman turned to face him. "She hasn't talked since her mother passed away."

When she heard his explanation, she seemed to remember something. She kneeled to be at Emma's height. "You are Emma, right?" Emma nodded. "Your grandma has told me _so_ much about you! I couldn't wait to finally meet you. I'm going to be your teacher," the woman talked to Emma. "My name is Mary Margaret, it's a pleasure to meet you."

She extended her hand for Emma to shake. Emma stared at her father, looking for permission to shake her new teacher's hand. David nodded and Emma shook Mary Margaret's hand.

"Why don't you try reading this one," Mary Margaret handled Emma a book called '_Miss Rumphius_'. "It was my favorite one as a kid."

Emma looked at the book, as if it was a treasure, and gave her dad a look saying 'we can go now, daddy'.

"Seems like she's ready to go," David stated. "I'm David, by the way."

"I know," Mary Margaret shook his hand as well, "I mean, your mother told me. She came to school and we talked about you and Emma, not talk talk, she more like explained me your story and all that has happened to you and -" the teacher started to rushed her words. She stopped when David smiled at her. "Anyway, hope to see Emma on monday at 8am."

"She will be there," David grinned at her. "Good bye, Miss Mary Margaret."

"Good bye, Mr. Nolan" the teacher replied with a shy smile and returned to her chores of piling books.


	2. Chapter 2

In this chapter there are 2 references to 2 different fandoms to which I proudly belong to.  
10 points to whomever points them out!

To answer some questions, this is completely AU, nothing to do with the curse and magic. Some characters will have Emma's age and some will have their TV-show age. But we'll know that little by little

Oh, and I decided that Mary Margaret has her hair as long as Snow's :P

Hugs,

M.

* * *

Emma was not an early bird and David, of course, had learned that the hard way. The first week she had bite his hand, and kicked him, twice. Not to mention that they were late to their school and job everyday.

His daughter hated mornings as much as he hated waking her up. She looked so peacefully while she slept, it was like that Wizard had said: 'For in dreams, we enter a world that is entirely our own.' It took a while for David to understand how to wake up his daughter without putting his life at risk. He wasn't angry at Kathryn anymore, he just wished that she had left him "How to live with Emma for dummies."

"Sweetie," David said kissing Emma's forehead. "Time to wake up! You need to get ready for school!"

He tried to make it sound exciting, he knew she hated school. After her mother died and Emma had gone mute, kids had started to pick on her. He had her changed schools couple of times, but it didn't make it better. It was one of the reasons why they moved back to Storybrooke, he didn't want his baby daughter to suffer and he thought a small down might be safer for her.

Emma didn't look excited. She gave him a look that said 'Do I really have to?'

"Yes, baby," David put one of her blonde locks behind her ear. "You really have to."

She seemed disappointed. He could already to understand her by the looks she gave him, he was kind of proud of that ability.

"Let's go, you granny made breakfast!" He said shaking her softly. "A birdie told her blue pancakes were your favorites!"

She stood up from the bed with a little bit more enthusiasm.

David had discovered her daughter liked colored food after he took her to a small french patisserie in New York. When Kathryn passed away Emma, among other stuff, stopped eating. It was at that patisserie that Emma began to eat again. After he noticed how she devoured the colored pastry, he had decided to color everything she ate. And it had worked. Now Emma ate normally, but blue pancakes were still her favorite.

David helped the still sleepy Emma to get into a pair of jeans and a white shirt. Emma pointed at her new little leather boots letting him know which shoes she wanted to wear, he covered the little girl's feet with them.

When Emma was fully dressed she ran down the stairs to meet up with her grandmother, the two ladies had bond faster than what David expected. It was not hard to like a woman like Ruth, she was the ideal mother and grandmother. David gave his mother a kiss on the cheek and sat next to Emma, who was already eating in silence.

Before the blonde girl pulled her dad's sleeve to let him know she was ready to go, she brushed her teeth and grabbed her red jacket, with no help from her dad, she liked to show she was independent at somethings.

"All set, then?" She nodded at her father's question. "Very well. Mother," he addressed then to the older woman. "I'll go by the sheriff's office, Mr. Gold told me about a vacant and I'll check it out."

It was not hard to notice that Emma was not excited to go to a new school, again. She was dragging her feet and walking slower than usual. He remembered something his father used to do when he was little, when they still enjoyed each others' company.

David kneeled to be at her sight. "Hey, what if I carry you?" He asked. "Horsey style?" Emma nodded, a little bit more excited. "Yeah? Sounds and jumps included?" The girl nodded more excited.

The father turned around so his daughter could climb onto his back. She passed her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.

"Neeeiiiahaha" David pretended to be make a horse sound. "Neeeiiihahaha"

He started jogging and jumping, pretending Emma was riding a horse. Some people stared at them, but he didn't care. Emma was laughing, even if the sound was almost inaudible, she was laughing! It was the first time he heard her laugh. It almost made his chest blow up of happiness.

David was so into his role and his daughter's laugh that he forgot to pay attention to the road. He only realized after he had crashed against someone.

It was the school teacher, she didn't look much different from the last time they saw her. She was still wearing her black hair in a long braid; her face had almost no make up, making it clear that her beauty was natural. She had been walking and reading until David and crashed against her. The black haired woman looked at them.

"I've never met someone that goes to school by horse," Mary Margaret said to Emma, ignoring the fact that David had almost tackled her. Emma grinned at her and held tightly to her father.

"I'm sorry," David apologized.

She smiled shyly at him. "No need to,"

"I guess we are walking the same way," he pointed out.

"I thought you were giving Emma a ride to school," Mary Margaret replied.

He shook his head. "You messed my vibe," he teased her. "And, we can't leave this young damsel alone, can't we Emma?" He asked his daughter, she shook her head, siding with her father.

"I don't know what flatters me more," Mary Margaret giggled. "The _young_ or the _damsel_."

David grinned at her and he smiled back at him; both ignoring the fact that they had flirted with each other, maybe because they were too embarrassed to admit it, maybe because there were too naïve to acknowledge it.

"This is us," Mary Margaret pointed to the school behind her.

David kneeled so that Emma could climb off, he then turned to face his daughter. She had a worried face again.

"Hey, pumpkin," he brushed her hair. "It'll be alright, I promise, you'll be with Mary Margaret." He looked at the teacher and she gave him a reassuring nod.

"I won't let anyone mess around with the girl that rides a horse to school," Mary Margaret offered the little girl a hand, which she accepted. "There's nothing to worry, this school is lovely," she added.

David didn't know if the teacher had said that to make him or Emma feel better, but he felt a little bit more relived after he heard those words.

He kissed his daughter's hand and watched the two ladies disappear behind the school's doors.

He's heart skipped a beat when Emma was not in his sight anymore. And he hoped, with all his force, that what Mary Margaret had said was true, and that the kids from this school would be different than the ones from the schools before.


	3. Chapter 3

Nice try, Raquel :P At least you kind of guessed one. Blue food is Percy Jackson's favorite. And as Apseudonimo pointed out, there is a Dumbledore quote (from the movie)

I hate but like this chapter at the same time. Hope you guys won't hate it - too much.

I also hid in this chapter another reference (It's from a TV show) :D Let's see if someone can point it out!

* * *

David walked towards the school with a big smile on his face. His meeting with Mr. Gold had been impressive, he was now the new Sheriff of Storybrooke, who would have guessed? not his 16-year-oldself for sure.

The father jogged a little bit at when he saw his little girl sitting in the playground, Mary Margaret was teaching her how to swing. When the blonde saw her father coming she jumped from the swing and ran towards him. David open his arms and Emma launched towards him, embracing him in a tight hug.

"How did it go?" Emma didn't reply, but at least she didn't look sad. David faced Mary Margaret.

"It could have been worse," Mary Margaret shrugged. "And she made two friends."

"She talked?" He asked confused and excited.

Mary Margaret shook her head. "But, Ruby can do the talking for both of them." David was relieved, for the first time in months it seemed that things were starting to work out. He and Mary Margaret walked together, behind Emma who was kicking a stone few steps ahead of them. "Ruby and her cousin, Graham, are very protective of vulnerable kids, so they took special care of Emma."

David stared at the floor as he continued walking behind Emma. He only raised his head when he felt Mary Margaret's hand on his shoulder. "You look like you need a friend." She pointed out. "Here, let's have a coffee."

It was true, he really needed a friend to whom he could talk to. David hadn't been able to sleep in a while. At day he was fine, keeping it together; but by night, when the demons came, he was restless, he worried about Emma. He needed to open up to someone or it would eat him alive.

The teacher and the father stopped in front of Granny's restaurant. David called Emma, who was now some feet away from them, and notified her they'd enter to drink something. Emma loved food, especially the sweet one.

Granny's restaurant hadn't change a bit since the last time David set foot on it, it was like if someone had stopped the time for them. It brought back so many memories, he basically spent his teenager years in this restaurant.

"I was wondering when you were going to show up, Charming," The waitress said when the two grown ups and the little girl sat on a table by the window. She had a bad habit of giving nicknames to people. They were the most random names. David was Charming because he never got sent to detention, he always talked his way out of it.

David smiled at the brunette. "Well, Anita, if you wanted so badly to meet up, you know where I live." He stood up and hugged the woman that worked at Granny's.

The teacher looked confused at David and at the waitress; of course she knew that David would know people in Storybrooke, he had grown up here, but the way he brightened up around her was what threw her off. What Mary Margaret didn't know was that David and she knew Anita from not only different places, but also different times. To Mary Margaret she was just Ruby's mother and Graham's legal guardian; but to David, she was the best friend a guy could have. Anita had always been one of the boys, and she had been awesome at it, she was the best football player he had ever seen, and she was trouble.

"Some people have real jobs," she came back at him, hitting his softly in the arm. "Nothing like being the sheriff in a town where nothing ever happens."

David shoot her a glare. "It was not like that when you were a teen." He pointed out and she laughed.

"Oh, so it's was just my fault?" She faked to be in shock. "Because I was the one pushing you into trouble, of course."

David nodded.

"I have responsibilities now," Anita's face lost a little bit of the shine she got when she saw David. "2, to be precise. Ruby and Graham."

Contrary to popular belief, David always thought that Anita would be an awesome mom, he knew that below that wild child facade, there was a caring woman.

"Ruby is mine and Graham is my brother Quinn's but he's in jail," His childhood best friend explained. "And he'll be for a long time."

Quinn was the toughest kid of the town where they were teenagers, and he always had David's back. The thing was that Quinn had been a lost cause since the day he was born, David still wondered how Granny put up with him for so many years. Everyone in Storybrooke knew that eventually the rotten seed would do something terribly bad. David wouldn't help but to ask himself what had gotten Quinn into jail. If he would be there for a long time, as Anita had explained, then it had to be something really nasty.

"Emma," David turned to introduce his girl to Anita. Emma raised her head, she was drawing on a paper that Mary Margaret had given her. "Say hi to Auntie Anita."

Emma waved at Anita and the woman waved back and smiled at the girl.

"I don't envy you, Snow." Anita addressed to the teacher, her nickname referring to the color of her skin. "Having two Lucas is always bad, having two Lucas and a Nolan, well, that's like sleeping with a ticking-bomb."

David remembered the teacher mentioning their names when they met earlier, just after school ended.

Mary Margaret smiled at them. Secretly, she loved having Ruby and Graham on her class, even if sometimes they were too hyperactive; but they were nice kids and helped her every time she needed. They also took care of the bullies and protected the bullied, she like that about them. And Emma, Emma was just the loveliest kid of earth, she didn't have to talk for Mary Margaret to notice that Emma had a pure heart.

"Maybe they won't get along," Anita shrugged.

"Emma is already part of their wolf-pack." Mary Margaret said.

"I don't think this town is ready for the Lucas-Nolan round 2." David commented.

Anita laugh out loud. "The mayor is not going to be happy." The newcomer looked at his childhood friend. "Oh, you don't know? Cora is the mayor now."

Cora. She was five years older than them, went to class with Quinn, how she hated with all her heart. From what they heard from Quinn, Cora had always been president of the student body, during middle and high school years. When she graduated from college and started working at the mayor's office she started hating David and Anita as well. She considered them uncivilized, and she didn't care on letting the whole Storybrooke know, as she put it multiple times: "Vandalism is a symptom of man's failure to think." And there was nothing that David and Anita liked more than sabotaging Cora's events.

"How did someone like Cora accept to give me the Sheriff's job?" David asked confused.

"It's all part of her tactics, I guess." Anita shrugged. "If you are controlling the problems you are not the one making them."

Sounded reasonable.

"Snow, you'll have the usual hot chocolate with cinnamon, right?" Anita wrote on her pad.

The teacher nodded. "Same thing for Emma, I have a hunch that she'll like it." Anita winked at the teacher.

"And for you, Charming: grande skim latte, two pump sugar-free vanilla."

David smiled. "You haven't forgot."

"Never."

Anita walked back to the kitchen to get their orders.

David sat and stared at Emma, who was peacefully drawing a swan. He was glad that Anita's kids were friends with her at least she wouldn't be alone for a change, but Mary Margaret that they were fond of weak kids, and David was sure that once Emma started speaking again she wouldn't be weak anymore, because he knew little about his favorite blonde, but he knew that she was strong. Would Anita's kids be friends with her after that? Would she over come her muteness and start talking again? Would she be the same girl she was before she went silent?

"You just need to stop worrying." The teacher commented.

He wished it would be that easy. "Kids that don't speak eventually become shy and suffer from social anxiety,"

"And they are also above-average intelligence, creative and have a strong feeling of what's right and wrong." The teacher interrupted him. He raised an eyebrow, wondering how she knew that. "I can also surf the internet." Mary Margaret commented. He smiled at her.

They felt into silence again, but it was not an awkward silence. David actually found it comforting. Anita came back with their order and placed the drinks in front of them.

"Emma is going to be fine, I promise." Mary Margaret said, watching how happy Emma was drinking her hot chocolate with cinnamon.

He faced again the floor, after putting Emma through 10 different psychologists and shrinks, he had decided to stop pushing Emma to talk. But he knew that eventually she would have to do it.

"I don't know what to do," David admitted. "Her mother took her away when she was one, and didn't see or heard about them until Kathryn died. Now I have a six year old kid and I haven't got the slightest idea of what to do."

"I'll tell you a secret: No parent knows what they are doing," he pursed her lips into a smile. "You will figure it you," she added, reaching his hand. He liked the warmth of her hand against him. "And I'll be here to help you."

"Thank you, _Snow_," he said using the nickname that Anita had given her.

"You're welcome, _Charming_."


	4. Chapter 4

Ok, just to remember you guys. This is if AU, and no curse ever occurred.

* * *

The bell rang, echoing through the walls of the apartment. He waited impatiently, holding the blonde's hand and studying at his watch. He had received a call from the office and Emma had no one to stay with; his mother had some festival organization meeting she had to attend and leaving Emma with her father was even worse than leaving her alone.

_Coming!_ He heard someone screamed from inside.

"David, hey!" Mary Margaret said when she opened the door. "Is everything ok?"

He nodded. "Would you mind looking after Emma? Something came up at work and my parents are busy," the man said quickly, he was in a rush. "I'd as Anita, but she's also working and has already two kids to watch over."

"It'll be a pleasure to watch over this little girl," the woman said with a smile and opened her door to let Emma enter.

The blonde girl kissed her daddy good-bye and entered her teacher's apartment, sitting on one of the comfortable sofa of the living room.

"Thank you," David muttered before running down stairs.

Mary Margaret was watching the man jog away from her door when she felt a little hand pulling hers. Emma had picked a book from the black haired woman's library and was handling it to the teacher. It was a leather book titled '_Once Upon a Time_'.

"Fairy tales, huh?" The girl nodded. "Very well, go and bring the blanket that's over my bed. I'll make us some hot chocolate."

Emma's eyes sparkled with excitement, how could anyone not love someone like this little girl? Mary Margaret warmed two mugs of chocolate and added a little bit of cinnamon to them. When she walked into the living room with the two cups, Emma was already buckled up and eager to start.

The teacher read out loud, studying all of Emma's expressions as the different characters encountered different obstacles. Mary Margaret enjoyed being with Emma, the little girl reminded her of her younger self. And the way she became completely absorbed on the fairy tales, it was like watching at a mirror.

They were done with the fairy tales around 7 in the afternoon. The older woman could see Emma daydreaming about princes and magic, kids had such a pure imagination, that's why she had become a teacher; in a world were men killed each other, stole and lied for any reason, being with kids was that she could stay sane.

It was almost dinner time, so Mary Margaret put water to boil, they had decided to have pasta for dinner, and turned the radio on. Indie music started playing, her favorite.

"Hey, honey," the older woman addressed to the younger one. "Wanna dance?"

The girl nodded and before she could understand what was happening, Mary Margaret carried her and started dancing with Emma in her arms. The girl giggled and swing her little arms around to the beat of the music. Dance in the kitchen, it was something that Mary Margaret used to do with her own mother, she loved it, those were one of her best childhood memories.

"Oh, look at that!" Mary Margaret stopped, both facing the boiling water. "Looks like we can already put the pasta in the water. Do you want to do it?"

Emma nodded. Without putting her in the floor, Mary Margaret gave the little girl a package of pasta.

"Pour it all in," the old woman instructed her. Emma did as she was told. "Very good, you're a natural."

As the little girl was getting heavy, the teacher placed her on the table. "Now," she said "you have to grate the cheese. Like this," she showed Emma how to do it. After Emma reached for the cheese and the cheese grater, Mary Margaret understood that the little girl was ready for her kitchen duty.

The music kept playing as the two girls did their part of the cooking chores, Mary Margaret checking on Emma every once in a while. Mary Margaret always wanted a younger sister, maybe a daughter, but fate had never played on her side with those wishes. Having Emma with her, doing all this stuff, it felt like her luck was smiling at her; like maybe, just maybe her chance was changing.

"Hey, Em!" She said when the pasta was done. "Why don't you set the table? Dishes are in that cabinet," Mary Margaret pointed at one of the kitchen's furniture. Emma nodded and got the dishes out, she placed hers in front of Mary Margaret's and then went for the cutlery. '_Only forks!_' The older woman had said.

They had just sat to start eating when the bell rang. Mary Margaret placed her fork and walked towards the door. David had all his weight laying on one of his arms, which rested against the door frame.

"Hey," he said when she opened the door, he looked restless. "I hope she was not too handful."

"Not at all," Mary Margaret smiled. "You look like an elephant walked over you."

"I've looked worse." David replied with a weak smile.

"We just finished making pasta, want to join us?" the teacher invited him in. "You look like you need a good meal."

The sheriff accepted the invitation and followed the woman into her dinning room. She placed an extra place for him in no time.

When Emma saw her father she ran towards him with a big grin on her face. He knew she had had a wonderful time with the teacher. The blonde girl moved her arms happily, trying to explain what they had done together, but she moved so fast her father couldn't understand a thing she was saying. The adults just laughed at Emma's overexcited mimics while they had dinner.

It felt good; the pasta, the talk, the laugh, all of it. David felt it, Mary Margaret felt it, even little Emma felt it. It was what having a real family felt like.


	5. Chapter 5

Props to CintiaQuerino and SaraLovesCastle for guessing the Castle reference! :)

Oh, and Emma will talk soon, I promise :P

* * *

"Hey, Honey!" She kneeled next to the little girl, who was sitting on a bench, waiting for her dad. "Your dad called, he had to go and check something out at the town's borderline. Why don't you come inside and help me to build a castle for tomorrow's story telling?"

Emma nodded with a sad look on her eyes and followed the teacher inside the school.

"Are you alright, Emma?" Emma shrugged.

Mary Margaret looked worried at the kid, she had changed over the past days: she had troubles concentrating, she had stopped eating during recess and she looked tired all the time, plus she had become even more isolated and she put on tantrums every time David dropped her at school. It had become pretty obvious lately, Emma was depressed. And it had nothing to do with her mother's death.

But things at school were not going bad for Emma. She was a bright girl, and Ruby and Graham took care of her. The girl had not been bullied, not even once. Mary Margaret kept close watch over her, school was not the source of depression. Then it had to be family trouble. The teacher didn't understand why, tho. David loved his little kid, he'd give up his life for her.

"Why don't you make a drawing for me, Emma?" Mary Margaret gave her a blank paper. "I want you to draw yourself."

Emma nodded.

It had been something that she had learned during her studies. Children's psychology, how to understand what's on their mind by drawings.

Mary Margaret worked on the story telling castle as Emma drew, sticking her tongue out on one side. When she was done, the little girl poked her teacher with a pink crayon. Mary Margaret looked at the drawing.

She couldn't help but notice that the doodle didn't have lips. Which meant that Emma knew that the mouth was for talking, and as she didn't talk, she didn't need to draw it on the sketch of herself. Other than that the drawing looked pretty normal.

"Alright," the teacher said giving the paper back. "Want to draw me your family?"

Emma nodded while she chewed the end of the pink crayon she was still holding.

Both ladies returned to their art pieces. Mary Margaret was having problems with the castle's towers, they wouldn't stay still. Every time she managed to put one tower, other two would fall. It was pointless. The teacher pushed the castle way, she gave up. She'd ask Belle for help later.

Mary Margaret's attention returned to Emma, she couldn't see anything from the drawing because Emma's elbow was covering the view but she studied Emma's expressions. The girl's eyebrows were furrowed, showing that the girl was concentrated on her task. It was the first time in weeks that Mary Margaret had seen Emma put her mind into something, it made her happy.

When Emma was done, she handled the paper to Mary Margaret. There were four people next to Emma.

"This is your grandma, right?" The teacher said pointing at the person that was at the right of Emma's self-doodle. The old woman was carrying a cake "Her cakes are tasty?" Emma nodded happily.

Well, grandma was not the problem.

Mary Margaret pointed to the man next to Emma's grandmother. He had gray hair and a grumpy face. "That's your grandfather?" Emma nodded.

Then something shocked Mary Margaret. Not a bad type of shock, but more like a pleasant surprise.

To Emma's left there was a woman with black hair. "Is that - Is that me?" The teacher asked. Emma smiled at her and nodded once more. Mary Margaret's doodle was carrying a book.

Lastly, Mary Margaret saw the last person on Emma's drawing, he was place far away from the rest of the people, he was almost at the page's edge. David was talking on the phone and had his sheriff's badge on. It all made sense now: Emma missed her father.

"You want to spend time with him?" Emma looked at the floor and stayed silence. "Emma, your father has a real tough work," Mary Margaret embraced the little kid into a hug. "But you do know that he loves you, right?" Emma hugged Mary Margaret tightly. "We all love you, baby."

The teacher brushed the girl's mane of hair and hummed a song to calm Emma. The little girl didn't let go of her teacher, Mary Margaret didn't break the hug either. Eventually the blonde fell asleep on the black haired woman's arms. The older woman didn't have the heart to wake her up, she just kept brushing Emma's hair.

* * *

David came before 6 pm, just as he had promised - to Mary Margaret - he looked tired but his face lightened up when he had Emma on his arms.

With his daughter sleeping with a smile on her face, David walked at a slow pace. He enjoyed talking to Mary Margaret, she was so refreshing after his days at work, specially when he had meetings with Cora. The only thing he hated more than his job per se was to work with Cora.

"She always seems to be happier around you," he pointed out as they walked down the street. It was already a habit for the two Nolan to walk Miss Blanchard home after school.

"David, we need to talk," the teacher told him. "Emma's sadness has nothing to do with her mother."

"What do you mean?" David looked confused.

"She misses you," Mary Margaret looked right at his eyes. "She already lost her mother, don't let her lose her father as well."

"Do you think I like it? The long shifts? Leaving her? But I have to work," he got a little bit upset. "I can't depend on my parent forever,"

"I know, I know," she admitted trying to calm him down. "But maybe you could find something less demanding, something with a better schedule."

He stayed in silence for a while, then he open his mouth to say, "Like what?"

"Well, you studied business management," Mary Margaret reminded him of his college degree. "You could maybe as Granny, or Mr. Clark. Or the stables or the Rabbit whole," She pointed some places that might need a manager.

"You want me to work at a bar?" He let a laugh out. "That was a worse than my current job."

"Fine, we'll scratch that one off."

"I heard the pet shelter is hiring," David commented.

"See? there's a good idea!"

They kept on walking. A comfortable silence between them, David knew that was one of the things he liked the most about being with Mary Margaret, the fact that they didn't have to talk to feel cozy on each other's company.

"Thanks," he said after a while.

"What for?"

"Being always there for me." He looked into her eyes.

"Always, Charming." She replied with a sweet smile.


	6. Chapter 6

This chapter has some division, I hate do to that, but I don't know how to make this chapter's story with out them... Hope you guys will like it anyway.

Also, I know you guys want some DavidxEmma moments, you'll have them soon :)

Thanks for the reviews and follows and favorites,

M

* * *

Things with Emma had started to look great. Ever since he quitted being the Sheriff and started working at the pet shelter she seemed to look happier, and it was all thanks to Mary Margaret. He had been so blind, so concentrated on his job that he had neglected the most important person on earth: his daughter. His working schedule at the pet shelter allowed him to spend more time with his favorite blonde, plus Emma was allowed to visit him at work, thing she couldn't do when he was the town's sheriff. Emma loved animals, and she looked so joyful around them specially a savannah cat, a rare breed cat they had found almost dead by the road. He had promised his daughter that as soon as she can name the animal, they would adopt it.

David watched as Mary Margaret piled the books and noticed how his heart rate increased. He hadn't feel this way since he started dated Kathryn, and he had to admit, it felt nice to feel this way again.

"So, I was thinking," David said as he and Mary Margaret put the library's books in their place, they were helping Belle out. "Maybe I could leave Emma with my parents and we could go somewhere out." He sounded nervous, he was nervous. It was _adorable_.

He had wanted to ask Mary Margaret out for a while now, but he never seemed to find the right time to do so.

"As in a date?" Her eyes shined, he loved when her eyes shines.

"Would you want it to be a date?" He asked, hoping she would say yes. Mary Margaret nodded with a smile. "Then it is." He smiled back at her.

"Is Emma ok with this?" She was concerned. The teacher knew how kids could act when their parents started dating, it didn't matter if they liked their parents's new love partner before.

David nodded. "Emma loves you, she was thrilled when I told her."

Belle will die of excitement when she heard the news as well. She had been pushing Mary Margaret to make the first move for a while now. Mary Margaret pursed her lips in a grin and continued piling the books.

* * *

"Dad, you just have to make sure she's not running with scissors or jumping from the roof," David told his father. "Is that really too much to ask?"

His father stared at him. They both knew that his father was not the best person to look after a kid; but his mother was busy and it had been Emma's idea to stay with her grandpa, so David was willing to give him a second chance.

"Plus, she wants to be with you."

"Alright, I'll do it." He accepted, not to excited about it. "But just this one time."

David smiled at his father relieved. "Thank you!"

Maybe things were starting to get better between the two of them. Maybe soon they would have a normal father-son relationship

* * *

He picked up Mary Margaret at her apartment around 5pm. She was wearing a white dress and a blue blazer, she looked ravishing.

"Is this ok?" She asked shyly.

"You look beautiful," Mary Margaret blushed at the compliment. "Lets get going?" She nodded

David had planned a picnic for Mary Margaret and him. It was by the riverside, next to a small bridge. He had everything he needed: a blanket, couple of candles and their meal: salmon and red wine. Anita had helped him with the romantic details, glad that her friend's love-life was going somewhere.

"It is lovely where," she said when they were sitting on the blanket.

"I used to come here when I was younger," he explained. "When I wanted some alone time."

"You didn't have to share it with me," she said, a little bit awed by the fact that he took her to such special place.

He placed his hand over hers and squished her. "It can be ours now,"

Her heart skipped a bit. When she was younger she'd dream of marrying prince Charming or Mr. Darcy. It took a couple of heartbreaks to understand that those kinds of man don't exist anymore. But David, David was close to them. The way he made her the feel, the stuff he made her feel. It was like magic. She just wondered if he'd turn out to be like the other men, or if he would be the one.

He leaned in to kiss her, and she didn't move back. They were few inches apart from each other when his phone rang.

"Aren't you going to answer that?" Mary Margaret asked after a few seconds, disappointment filled her voice tone. They were still close to each other, but the moment was lost.

"I probably should." He said taking his phone out from his pocket, it was his mother. "Mother?"

"Thank God you picked up," his mother said. "Emma is at the hospital."

His world fell to his feet. "What?"

"She fell from the dock." She explained. David's face lost its color: Emma didn't know how to swim.

"Dad was supposed to be watching over her!" He was too worried to be angry. "I'll be there in five."

He stood up and Mary Margaret followed with out asking any questions. She had heard some of the conversation and she could read it on David's face as well: something had happened to Emma. Her baby - _his_ baby. If something bad happened to the girl, she didn't know how she'd continue, she had grown fond of the girl, too fond. She couldn't imagine how bad David felt.

David drove faster than the speed limit, but she didn't say anything. They both wanted to get to the hospital as fast as she could.

Mary Margaret was not allowed to enter to Emma's room - doctor's orders. Even though she said she didn't care, David felt bad. She was almost part of the family, maybe he wanted her to be, but it was too soon to shoot a news like that to her.

Inside Emma's room David met with his parents. His mother sat next to the bed, her eyes were puffy from crying; his father rested against a wall, his arms crossed. The doctor who was checking Emma said she'd be perfect after a goodnight rest. She had swallowed too much water but she was completely out of risk. The biggest problem was a mild hypothermia; nothing a warm blanket couldn't fix.

"You were supposed to be watching over her!" He said attacking his father after the doctor left them alone.

"David," his mother tried to calm him.

"I payed a stupid girl to do it," his father replied. "It's not my fault!"

"It's never your fault, isn't it?" David tightened his grip. "James died because of _you_."

"I killed James?_ I_ killed him? I was not the one that had that stupid idea!"

"George!" Neither men payed attention to her.

"We were 10 years old!" The younger Nolan yelled at the older one. "You were supposed to watch over us! But you were too busy watching the baseball game."

The room fell into silence. Only the beeps coming from the machine controlling Emma's vital signs echoing on their ears. They haven't talked about James's death in ages, not since it had happened. David couldn't do it, it sickened him. He should have never left Emma with his father, what did he thought? That he would actually pay attention to her? He decided to leave the room before his eagerness to hit his father overcame his self control.

Outside Mary Margaret was waiting for him on the hallway, she had two coffees on her hands.

"It's almost cold by now," she said when she handled it to him. "Sorry."

He took a slip from the coffee, for a moment it felt like the warm drink could magically fix all his problems. They sat on the floor, in front the door to Emma's room.

"How is she?" Mary Margaret asked.

"She'll be fine in a day or two," he replied with a sad smile. "She's a warrior."

"How are you?"

"Been better."

"Want to talk about the fight you had with your dad?" She asked. She had heard some screams, but she didn't want to eavesdrop so she didn't know what they were arguing about. The teacher also knew she might be pushing it too far, but sometimes it was better to speak about a problem than to keep it to yourself.

"I had a twin when I was a kid," David started after a while. "We were inseparable."

Mary Margaret didn't know he had a twin, neither he nor his mother had talked about his twin. She encouraged him to continue.

"When we were ten, we lived by the beach. Our father had built a small dock for us," he continued. "One day there was a thunderstorm, it was majestic. They way the lightings hit the water."

He shut up for a moment. He had never told anyone about his brother. The ones that knew James, knew better than to ask David and the ones that never knew James didn't have a clue of his existence.

"We would wait for the lighting to hit the water, and at the sound of the thunder, we would jump."

She didn't like how that sounded. Everyone knew that lightings and water were not a good mix.

"James didn't make it fast enough one time, we were fighting over the ladder, to see who would climb it first." David continued. "When I was out of the water the lighting hit the sea. I turned to help him out, but it was - it was too late."

David could still close his eyes and remember his brother's electrocuted body. It haunted him sometimes, on his worse nightmares.

"My father was supposed to watch over us," he said, looking at Emma's room's door. "I know it's not completely his fault, but accept that, means accepting it was mine. And I can't live with the fact that I killed my brother."

Mary Margaret took his hand on hers. "It was an accident," she said. "No one's to blame."

Mary Margaret rested her head on his shoulder. She smelled so good, like Vanilla. Maybe she was right, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to make peace with it. He rested his head on hers. He'd think about that another day. Right now, only Emma mattered.


	7. Chapter 7

First of all, sorry for the delay. I've been kinda busy and I'll be busy until after the weekend, so I don't know if I'll be able to update before monday.

Second, I was thinking on finishing this story around chapter 10 and making a sequel - when Emma is around 17, it'd focus on normal problems that teenagers have. Not sure if it'd be SwanQueen or CaptainSwan, that's open for debate. So the questions are: Do you want a sequel? If so, Do you want SQ or CS? (Or any other ship you like). It won't be an M-rated fic, tho.

I'd start writing this new story after I'm done with_ To Mend a Heart_ and _Letters to Charming_, which won't take long, but it'll be in 2 or 3 weeks.

Other than that, thanks for being awesome and commenting, favoriting, following and etc!

M.

* * *

A voice calling him woke David and Mary Margaret up. "Mr. Nolan?"

He raised his head, hoping it was a nurse telling him Emma woke up. But it was a girl, not older than fifteen, she had her long black hair in a braid and she looked worried. Her eyes were red, from crying he guessed. She let her body fall in front of him.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Nolan." She said, and a single tear started escaping her one of her eyes.

Mary Margaret and David straightened up.

"What is wrong, Regina?" Mary Margaret asked, she knew the girl from school. She was not on elementary and therefore, Mary Margaret was not her teacher. But as the president of the student council Regina was often on the teachers meetings.

"I was supposed to watch over Emma, I turned one second to kiss Daniel goodbye and she was gone." Tears ran down Regina's cheeks.

"It was not your fault, Regina." David tried to comfort her. He didn't blame this scared young girl, he blamed his father.

"But I was supposed to be looking over her!"

"No, you were not," the man replied. "My father was supposed to be looking over her."

Regina broke into tears and Mary Margaret moved towards her to embrace with a supporting hug. Regina buried her face on the teacher's chest and sobbed. David reached for Regina's hand, also trying to comfort her.

"I'm - terrible - 'erson." Regina said between sobs.

"No, you are not." Mary Margaret stroke Regina's hair "You were the one that pulled her out, right?" The teacher asked the teenager.

Regina nodded "When I didn't see her, I knew she had to be in the water, I - I jumped without thinking," She said after calming herself down. "She was one or two meters under water, when I took her out - she was," her voice broke. "I thought she was dead."

"But she's not," David reassured her. "And she'll be fine thanks to you, Regina."

"You think so?" Regina asked, a little ray of hope lighting her eyes.

David nodded. He knew that Emma was a warrior, ever since he saw her for the first time.

"Mr. Nolan," This time a male voice called him. "She's awake."

"You see?" Mary Margaret asked the teenager with a smile. "Why don't you call your mother so she can pick you up? You need to rest."

* * *

When David entered the room Emma had her eyes closed, but he could tell she was awake. She was facing the sun, feeling it's warmth on every inch of her face. She looked so at peace.

"Hi, baby," David caressed her forehead. "Are you alright? Do you want something?" She nodded.

"S-now." Emma said weakly.

_Snow._

His baby had talked for the first time in almost a year, he was so proud that if Emma would have wanted actual snow, David would have gone to the other side of the world to get her some. But David knew perfectly what, more like who, Emma wanted: Mary Margaret.

"We are in the middle of august, where can you find snow?" David's father asked. Clearly omitting the fact that Emma had talked. "You spoil her too much."

Ignoring his father, David left the room to look up for Mary Margaret. After Dr. Whale had told them that Emma was awake David entered his daughter's room while Mary Margaret walked Regina to the hospital's entrance where her mother would picked her up. He exited the hospital but the two women he was looking for where no where to be found. David looked around, trying to find them.

"Regina, dear," A familiar voice got David's attention. "Was it really necessary to waste your time in this matter?"

"Miss Mills, - " Mary Margaret started explaining. _Mills_. Regina was Cora's daughter.

"It's _Major_ Mills, Miss Blanchard," Cora interrupted her. "And I'll not hear your excuses. Regina had to be home studying for her Algebra test."

The voices came from around the corner. David walked towards the source of the sound. There they were; Regina, Mary Margaret and Cora talking besides a Cora's car, which still had the engine on.

"She saved my daughter's life." David said trying to make Cora understand why Regina was at the hospital. "And she came to see if Emma was alright."

"As I said, Mr. Nolan," Cora replied walking towards him. "My daughter had better things to do than to take care of some handicap girl."

"Mother!" Regina let out, horrified from the way her mother had talked about Emma.

"Silence, Regina," her mother gave her a warning look. "Get in the car."

Regina looked at David and Mary Margaret and with out speaking another word, she got in the car. David couldn't help but to feel sorry for her, he knew a huge argument was about to start in that car, an argument in which Regina had zero chances of winning.

"How is Emma?" Mary Margaret asked as they watched the car leave the hospital's parking.

"She asked for you," David said excited. "She _asked_."

Mary Margaret couldn't help but to smile. Emma had talked, and her first words had been to ask for the teacher, Mary Margaret couldn't have been more proud. They joy that felt her had to be showing, because David grinned at her and grabbed her by the hand.


	8. Chapter 8

Notes at the end of the chapter.

M.

* * *

Emma's voice had become David's favorite sound, which was a good thing because since she started talking she hadn't shut up. Mary Margaret joked saying Emma was making up for the months she had been silent. It was worse was when Emma was with little Ruby, it was like an explosion of laughs and screams, those girls didn't know how to keep their indoor's voice. But the two adults didn't care, Emma was finally finding her place among her friends and she was truly happy for the first time in a long time, and that's what mattered for Mary Margaret and David.

Plus, if grown ups had loved Emma when she was silent, now that she was a babbling adorable blonde mane it was impossible not to like her even more. She was a sweet child that had so much love to give, which surprised everyone taken in consideration her short yet traumatic childhood.

"Daddy," she told her father the very first night she had started talking. "Are you sad?"

"Why would I be sad, sweetie?" He said tucking her in.

"Because my first word was _Snow_," Emma replied grabbing one of his fingers with her little hand.

"No, Emma, I'm not sad," David smiled to his daughter. "Mary Margaret is a wonderful person and she's been good to us." The answer seemed to please Emma because she grinned at him.

Besides, Snow had not been her first word. Emma's first word was probably _Mommy_ or something along those lines, and happiness of hearing her speaking for the first time was stolen from him by Kathryn. Same happened with first steps, first day of school, learning to ride a bike; all stolen by Kathryn. He was not angry at his late wife, but he found it hard to forgive.

David wished his little daughter sweet dreams and walked towards the door.

"Daddy?" Emma called him again.

He turned on his hells and rested his body on the door frame. "Yes, Emma?"

"You are the greatest dad on earth," she admitted. "I love Mommy, but if I'd have to choose between being with her in New York or being here with you, I'd choose you."

David reentered the room and kissed Emma's forehead. "I love you too, Pumpkin." He said. "You are the greatest thing that ever happened to me."

Emma's grin widened even more at his father's confession.

"Goodnight, Daddy,"

"Goodnight, Emma."

It had been a month since that day. And father and daughter had become even more close, they were thick as thieves. Emma had become quite close to her teacher as well, which of course, pleased her father. After their first failed date Mary Margaret and David had gone to two more date, and with Emma's approval they had started dating.

"Snow," the little girl asked her teacher as they walked from school to David's pet shelter. "Are you going to be my mother?"

"Maybe someday, Emma." Mary Margaret smiled to the girl. "And I'd loved to be your mother, if that's your next question." The teacher added when Emma opened her mouth, after hearing Mary Margaret's words she grinned at her and held the teacher's hand with her tiny palm.

They continued walking in silence, but Mary Margaret didn't care. She was enjoying the moment, enjoying the fact that Emma wanted her in her life. Mary Margaret never had a proper family, her mother had died when she was young and her father had been to busy taking care of their business, he never remarried and Mary Margaret grew up at the care of different nannies. She had always loved the idea of having a family of her own, and the idea of being part of David and Emma's family was more than she could ever wish for.

"How are my favorite girls today?" David asked when the two ladies entered to the shelter. He kissed Emma on the forehead and hugged Mary Margaret, they had agreed to take it slow, at least in front of Emma.

"Aren't you going to kiss her?" Emma asked crossing her arms. "You two are dating, you_ have_ to kiss her." She added as Mary Margaret slightly blushed, which David considered adorable. He leaned in to kiss her, shortly but sweetly on the lips. "You have to work on your kissing skills, Daddy, but I guess is a good start." Emma stated, as if her father had never kissed anyone else.

"You have watched to many romantic comedies," her father pointed out.

"Blame Snow." Emma pointed at the woman.

"Emma," David placed her over the counter. "We've gone over this, Mary Margaret's real name is Mary Margaret."

"But I like Snow," Emma poked her father. "And aunt Annie likes it as well. And_ Mary Margaret_," the girl pronounced the teacher's real name in a boring tone, "_Don't_ care, right?"

"Doesn't, she_ doesn't _care_,_" Mary Margaret corrected her gently tapping Emma's nose. "And no, I don't care." she added with a smile.

"See, Daddy?" Emma looked happily at her father. "Now, why did you want us to come?"

"Well," David opened a cage and took a Savannah cat out. "We agreed that when you could name her, it'd be yours,"

"Really?" the blondie asked excited. Her parent nodded and handled her the cat. "I'll call her Lauma."

The two grown ups looked at her with a confused face.

"Lauma is the name of a fairy in the baltic mythology,"

"Where did you read about baltic mythology?" Mary Margaret asked.

Emma shrugged. "Belle has lots of books. And I like reading, so..." The blonde looked at the still confused grown ups "Lauma takes care of the kids that lose their mothers." As soon as Emma explained Mary Margaret's eyes watered and David's puzzled face softened, the reason behind the name was clear for everyone now.

"Then Lauma she shall be," David agreed with his daughter, caressing their new pet.

* * *

**Notes:**  
Savannah Cats are domestic cats, commonly compared to dogs because of their loyalty (they even follow their owners around the house, can also be trained to walk on a leash, and even fetch!) I find them fascinating.

Lauma is an actual name on the Latvian and Lithuanian mythologies. I'm of Latvian heritage and I really liked this fairy when I read about it couple of years ago, and with Emma having lost her mother I thought it was ok.

Information about these two things can be found on internet :)

About my questions. I already made a decision based on your opinions (which were A LOT, thanks for helping me out!), I do hope you realize that some people's choices won't win and I hope you'll still enjoy the sequel anyway. I think what I chose it's a decent option that most people will like. Either way, you'll have to wait and judge later :)

Hugs,

M.


	9. Chapter 9

Happy halloween, everyone!

Sorry by the mistakes, I typed this fast to make a halloween update :D - you can post on the reviews what I wrote wrong and I'll correct it :)

Hugs,

M

* * *

"You have never carved a pupmkin?" Mary Margaret asked her shocked.

Emma shook her head. "Mom didn't like halloween, she said it was my father's favorite holiday," the little kid didn't remember much of her childhood days with her mother, but she did remember being the only kid not wearing a costume to school the last day of October, she never hated her mother because of that, but she always felt something was missing.

"It is," David replied entering the kitchen, where his girlfriend and daughter hanged out. "Anita and I won best costume every year at the school party."

"School party?" the little girl asked.

Her father nodded. "Yup, every year after trick or treat the school hosts a party, more like a get together," he explained. "And we choose the best costumes."

He placed an old picture album in front of them and started looking through the pictures. There were at least 20 pictures of David and Anita at different ages and in different costumes.

"This was the first time we went," David pointed a picture of him and his friend when they were around Emma's age. "Anita was Red Riding Hood and I was the Bad Wolf."

They went through all the pictures. Emma could see that her dad and her aunt really liked halloween, the costumes improved with their age and as they grow older the costumes became more scary. But the girl wasn't afraid, she could recognize her father's smile in each picture, and as long as she knew it was really him, she didn't fear.

"You should go with Snow this year!" Emma proposed. "You should go as Prince Charming and Snow White," she said daydreaming. The characters she had chose here perfect for her father and Snow.

"I don't know, Emma," Mary Margaret burst the girl's bubble, "It's your father and Anita's tradition."

"Anita has to work," David told them, "And I'm sure she wouldn't mind anyway," it was true, Anita had root for the couple ever since the day they had all met at Granny's. She had told David later that day that Mary Margaret was quite a catch for him and that Emma seemed to love her already.

"See?" The blonde faced her teacher. "Please say yes!"

"Under one contidion," Mary Margaret said with a serious tone, Emma waited silently to hear what her teacher had to say. "I'll make your costume, you'll go as Alice in Wonderland and we'll carve a pumpkin,"

Emma didn't say anything, she just jumped and hugged the older woman. The girl was so excited, she always dreamed of celebrating halloween, and now her dreams were coming true, and Mary Margaret was just making them even better.

* * *

"Hurry up, Dad!" Emma said. She was desperated to go out and to trick or treat with Ruby and Graham.

"I'm coming!" Her father replied going down the stairs.

Emma stared at her father, he was dressed as a prince. "Charming," the little girl replied, using the name his best friend had invented for him years ago. There was nothing else to say, even if his pants looked a little bit too tight for Emma's personal liking; overall, he looked like a prince from one of the disney movies, he even had a plastic sword.

"And you look lovely," he added staring at his daughter in the Alice costume that Mary Margaret had made for her.

"Let's go, Dad!" she pushed him towards the door. "Snow is waiting for us!"

The streets of Storybrooke were decorated for the occation. Belle had covered the library with a huge spider web that made the building look spooky, and Anita had turned the bed and breakfast's front yard to a grave yard and the restaurant had bats and ghosts and bones hanging all over the place. Emma was fascinated by everything, she didn't know where to watch. She looked so happy, and that filled David with joy. He was not there to hear his daughter's first word or see her first steps, but to be with her in her first halloween was more than enough.

They rang the bell at Mary Margaret's building and waited for the woman to come out. Emma's jaw dropped as soon as she saw her. Mary Margaret was the exact copy of the disney princess.

"How do I look?" Mary Margaret asked the little girl, twirling around.

"Lik the fairest of them all" David was the one to reply before kissing her on the lips. Emma watch the scene with a huge smile on her face: it was like living on a fairy tale. "Ready, my lady?" he offered her his arm

"Yes, noble man," the princess replied and grabbed his arms.

They walked down the street to Granny's, where they would pick Ruby and Graham before going Trick or Treat-ing. Mary Margaret and David walked behind Emma, who was jumping between steps and swinging her arms. When she got to Granny's she pushed the door and entered to meet with her best friends. Ruby was a forrest bandit, she looked like one of Robin Hood's merry men, and Graham was dressed as a Zombie Hunter, with an axe, a gun and silver bullets.

Anita was dressed as a Star Wars Strom Trooper, "Work can't kill my vibe," she replied when David gave her a confused look. The waitress took couple of pictures; one of the tree kids, one of Mary Margaret and David, one of her and David - taken by Mary Margaret - and one all together.

"Well, well, well," Some said after the last picture was taken. "Look what we've got here," They all turned to see Regina, dressed as the Queen of Hearts. "Alice, we meet again."

Emma laughed.

"Off with her head!" Regina pretended to be angry as she pointed at the girl but talked Daniel, who was dressed as the Knave of Hearts from Tim Burton's adaptation. Then she laughed and Emma and she hugged. "See you at the school party?" she asked the little girl, who nodded. And after saying goodbye to everyone she and Daniel left the restaurant.

"Well, kids," David spoke to Emma, Ruby and Graham, "Who wants some candy?"

The three children didn't reply but rushed out of the restaurant. Once on the street, they started ringing on people's doors and asking for candy and chocolate. They were closely followed by Mary Margaret and David, who walked with their hands linked and smiles on their faces. Of all the halloweens that David had lived, this was by far his favorite one.


	10. Chapter 10

Hello people!

Here you have some Regina x Emma moments, but it's about their friendship and Emma's deep admiration towards the teenager that saved her.

Hope you enjoy anyway :)

M.

* * *

Emma was angry, and she was not ashamed to show it. She was sitting on a school bench with her arms crossed and furrow brows as she waited for Mary Margaret to finish a school meeting. She didn't move when she all her friends left with their parents and she was left alone in the entrance, nor when the high school bell rang and the older kids left their building. The little kid just stayed there, with her sight lost somewhere in the floor.

"You know," a familiar voice said. "If you have the same face for a long time, it'll freeze and you'll have it like that forever." Emma raised her gaze to meet with Regina, who was smiling at her. "What's up?" The teenager asked sitting next to the little girl.

"Grown ups suck." Regina laughed at Emma's response. "I want to go to the shore to gather shells, but Snow can't because she has some stupid meeting, dad has to work," the blonde added. "And I told them to ask you to be my nanny but you mother said no."

Emma returned her sight to the floor. Ever since she met Regina she had liked her, the little girl wanted to be like the teenager when she grew up. In Emma's eyes Regina was her flawless savior with perfect grades, awesome sense of fashion and a cute boyfriend. Yes, Regina was the perfect candidate to be her nanny and role model.

"I'm telling you, growing up sucks."

"Then we shall not grow up," Regina said. Emma looked at her confused. "We need to go to Neverland!"

Emma buffed. "You can't go to Neverland! You have boobies,"

The brunette laughed. "But inside this old woman's body a kid's soul lives." She said in a dramatic tone. "Common, Emma, let's go to Neverland!"

Regina stood up and offered Emma a hand. The blonde grabbed it and both girls started running.

"Quick," Regina hurried her. "The indians are following us, we must cross the bridge," they ran towards a little kids park where both girls climbed to reach the top of the tower. "Can you see Pan's tree house from here?"

"I do!" Emma screamed pointing a tree that Ruby and her often climb. "It's in that tree!"

"But that's too far away!" Regina over dramatized. "We'll have to fly!"

The older girl jumped from the playground and motioned Emma to jump over her. The little girl tightened her legs around Regina's waist and her hands around Regina's neck. Then the teenager started running, carrying the little girl. When they reached the tree Emma climbed first.

"Faster, Regina! The indians are close behind!" She screamed as Regina struggled to climb the tree. Good thing it was sports day and she was wearing comfortable clothes she wouldn't have been able to do this in flat shoes and skirts.

When both girls were on one of the tree's thickest branches Regina spoke. "I think we've lost them..."

"They are still looking for us," Emma faked a scared voice tone and Regina hugged her, reassuring her they'll be fine. "Where is Peter Pan?" Emma asked.

"Hook probably got him!" The teenager answered. "We need to save him!"

Emma nodded and they made a plan to get to the marina with out being noticed by the anger indians that were looking for them.

"Common," Emma whispered as they silently ran from behind one car to another one. Stopping every now and then to check if they were being followed. "We are almost there."

They reached the marina successfully and jumped into the Mills's boat, which Regina had decided to turn into Hook's ship for the game. Once on board Emma and Regina started to look around, trying to find something that would tell them about Pan's whereabouts. There was nothing on the cabin or bridge that could lead them to find the book character.

"He's not here," Emma pointed out, a little bit sad, staring at the water

The teenager placed her hands on the kid's shoulders and was about to say something when they heard voices. Panic started to grow within Regina.

"Do you think it's Hook?" Emma asked hugging Regina. Both girls knew it was not Hook, it was someone worse: it was Cora. And she was not alone, she was with Mr. Gold.

"We should go, Emma," Regina tried to hide the fear in her voice. "If she finds us here she'll rip our hearts out, literally,"

Emma swallowed and nodded. Grabbing Regina's hand and walking around the ship, trying not to be noticed. To their luck, Cora was not there to look for someone; but, much to Regina's dismay, her mother wrapped her arms around the man and kissed him, and he kissed her back.

"I didn't know Mr. Gold was your dad," Emma commented.

He was not. Cora was having an affair; she was cheating on her father, the greatest man Regina knew. The teenager didn't know what to tell Emma, she didn't know what to tell herself. The two girls watched from their hiding place as the two grown ups went into the cabin. It sickened Regina, she wanted to through up.

"Let's get out before we get into troubles," she said and, followed by Emma, got out of the boat. Her dad's boat, the boat where her mother was doing despicable things with another man. She breathed in deeply. "Common," the teenager added as she grabbed Emma's little hand and they walked towards the school.

"Are you alright?" Emma asked when they reached the same bench where Regina had found the girl some time ago.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I never liked when my mom kissed other men," the little girl shrugged.

"But you like Mary Margaret," Regina pointed out.

Emma nodded, "That's because my mother made my dad suffer, he never says anything about it, but I know it." The little girl explained, sounding too mature for a girl her age. "But when he's with Mary Margaret, he's happy. He deserves to be happy."

A single tear escaped Regina's eye. Her father also deserved to be happy, more than anyone else she knew. But how could she tell him what her mother was doing? It'd kill him. The teenager felt a warm hug, Emma was embracing her.

"You can stay with me if you don't want to go home," the blonde said. "You can be my older sister, I always wanted an older sister."

Regina smiled and caressed her head. "I can't go with you, Emma. I have to be with my father," the teenager explained. "But I'd love to be your older sister."

Emma hugged her tighter and muttered a "Thank you," to which Regina replied "You're welcome," and hugged the little girl back. But it was Regina who needed to thank Emma; because that day, when she needed the love of a close friend the most, Emma had been there for her, even if the little girl hadn't been aware. The hug they were sharing had given her enough strength to tell her father the truth, and then live with the consequences of her and her mother's acts.


	11. Chapter 11

I'm so sorry for neglecting this chapter for such a long time!

I'm also sorry to say that it will end soon, in one of two chapters - but the sequel is a sure thing, as soon as I start writing it :P

Hugs,

M.

* * *

It had been almost a year since Emma's life did a 180 turn. During a year her mother had died, she had gone mute, she had met her father, they had moved back to Storybrooke, her father had started dating her teacher, she had almost drowned, she had started speaking, her father and her teacher had become engaged.

It had been a tough year, but she was happy truly now. She had a loving father and a caring soon to be step-mother, she had an awesome grandmother, a secretly adopted older sister and the best friends she could ever wish for.

"Snow?" The blonde asked as the older woman kissed her goodnight. "Tell me again how my father proposed to you,"

David and Mary Margaret had become engaged last week, and since the day they had told Emma it had become her favorite love story.

"You don't get tired of it, do you?" Mary Margaret laughed.

The little kid shook her head. "You always make it sound like a fairy tale."

Mary Margaret looked at the girl that was soon to be her daughter - officially, since in her heart Emma was already her child.

"Very well, Emma," Emma moved a little bit to the side so that Mary Margaret could lay next to her. "Once upon a time, in the town of Storybrooke two strangers met. They both were on tough times of their lives: David had lost his ex-wife and had to take care of his little daughter, who wouldn't speak a word, and Mary Margaret had recently discovered that her father, who she admired deeply, was a corrupt lawyer."

Mary Margaret remembered how empty and disappointed she felt when she first found out that her father, who worked as a government law firm that fought for the poor, received payments from the opposing attorney and let his own clients, who were most of the times innocent, to rot in jail. It had turn her world upside-down and she couldn't keep with it. Then she heard that best friend Belle was moving into a town in the middle of nowhere and decided to follow her best friend. Mary Margaret hadn't seen her father since then, and didn't plan on doing it either.

"Soon," the brunette continued with the story. "These two strangers became more than acquaintances and started dating,"

"With David's daughter approval," Emma added with a smile. She had always loved Mary Margaret and they all knew it, it had been like christmas for Emma when her father told her who his girlfriend was.

"Yes, with Emma's approval." Mary Margaret caressed Emma's forehead. "Shortly after, David took Mary Margaret to the prairies right before the sun went down. It was a warm spring day and he thought on surprising her. They walked towards the only tree that she saw in miles around them, there there was a picnic set. Small arabic lamps hanged from the tree's branches, lighting the lovely scene with all the colors you could imagine. The picnic cloth was plain white, but above it there were a dozen of big pillows, also arab style. It looked like a genie's lamp."

Emma always loved how detailed Mary Margaret's description was. She could close her eyes and imagine it so perfectly.

"The two lovers sat on the blanket and watched the sunset before eating the dinner that David had prepared for her," Mary Margaret continued telling her story. "They ate and talked for hours, but it felt like few minutes for them, it was as it the time stopped and moved faster at the same time when they were together," the older woman stared at the girl laying next to her; Emma was looking back at her, wide awake. "Then, to Mary Margaret's surprise David took a ring out from his pocket and asked the question that every girl longs to hear from her prince,"

"Will you marry me?" Emma said, interrupting Mary Margaret. She always got too excited at that part of the story.

"Yes, he asked her to marry him," Mary Margaret giggled at the girl's enthusiasm. "At first Mary Margaret couldn't reply, she had a lump of happiness stuck on her throat, so she leaned in to close the distance between them and kissed her Prince Charming," it had been more than passionate kiss, but Mary Margaret didn't consider it would be an appropriate thing to share with a little girl. "When the kiss was over, they laid one next to the other one, staring up at the stars that seemed to shine just for them. Mary Margaret felt she could explode of joy, she laid on her side, resting her arm on David's torso and said,"

"Yes!," Emma stood up and screamed as if she was a viking going to war. "I will marry you! And they lived happily ever after," the girl concluded.

Mary Margaret sat and tapped the bed's spot next to her, motioning Emma to sit by her side. The girl jumped, crossed her legs while she was on the air and landed next to Mary Margaret, who bounced a little bit after Emma's crashed against the mattress.

"Life is full of happily ever afters, Emma. Finishing college, working at something you love, helping people, those are all happy endings," the teacher explained to the little girl, she didn't want Emma to grow up thinking that only marrying a man would get her the _happily ever after_ that she deserved. "Remember that each happy ending is a bright new beginning,"

The little girl nodded and yawned, the excitement had tired her. She laid on the bed again and with Mary Margaret's help got below the sheets.

"How did you know?" Emma asked. "That daddy was your prince charming."

"I simply knew," Mary Margaret stood up from the bed and tucked Emma in. "You'll understand once you find your prince charming," the teacher added after she kissed the girl's forehead.

"Snow?"

"Yes?" She asked, hoping that Emma wouldn't solicit another bed-time story.

"You'll be the best stepmother ever," Emma said almost asleep. "Not like Snow White's or Cinderella's stepmothers,"

Snow pursed her lips into a smile. Emma's comment had made her heart skip a beat. The blonde kid was the sweetest child in the whole world, and she was lucky enough to have her as a stepdaughter. She had definitely got lucky with David and Emma.

"Goodnight, Snow,"

"Goodnight, Emma."


End file.
